Equality stories

A group of students with medium-light to medium-dark skin tones, wearing khaki pants and a variety of hair styles, stand in front of a white building that reads “Mielle” and a graphic of a woman with long black hair on the wall.
  • Programs
  • The Arts
The 2023-2024 Futures Series Lineup

The Obama Foundation Futures Series exposes high school students to career pathways through intimate conversations with accomplished leaders.

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Former First Lady Michelle Obama is seated while holding a microphone and sporting long box braids. She is seated in front of signage that says “Futures Series” with the Obama Foundation logo.
  • Programs
  • The Arts
The 2022-2023 Futures Series Lineup

The Obama Foundation Futures Series exposes high school students to career pathways through intimate conversations with accomplished leaders.

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Indigenous girls of the Sacred Valley Project work on school activities together at a long table covered in books, worksheets, colorful markers, and other school supplies.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Meet the Girls of Sacred Valley Project

Learn how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports secondary education for girls in rural Peru.

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Brenda, a young Tanzanian girl with a dark skin tone, raises her hand among her classmates. The group is outside and Brenda wears a school uniform with a white collared shirt, striped tie, and sweater. They are all a range of medium to dark skin tones.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Brenda’s story

Learn how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports community-driven solutions that advance equality and climate justice in Tanzania.

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Betty, a young woman with a dark skin tone, turns around and poses for the photo while walking down a dirt path. She is wearing a striped yellow shirt, a black backpack, and has dyed pink hair.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Betty’s story

See how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports STEM education for Kenyan girls with disabilities.

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Addison, a young Black girl with a light skin tone, films with her camera along Lake Michigan in Chicago. She is wearing a black t-shirt, hoop earrings, and her hair is curly.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Addison’s story

Watch how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports girls through mentorship programs in Chicago.

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A group of three smiling girls with a range of light to medium skin tones run together on an outdoor court.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Chicago
Girls Opportunity Alliance helps girls' sports and leadership program expand to Chicago’s South Side

See how Girls in the Game is empowering girls through sports programming to develop their health, leadership, and life skills.

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Elpida Kokkota, a woman with a light skin tone, holds a closed lip smile. She has long black hair and is wearing red lipstick, bracelets on both arms, a white shirt, and floral skirt.
  • Leaders
  • Changemakers
Obama Leaders join forces across continents to create global opportunities for women

More than 140,000 women across 155 countries have educational and entrepreneurial opportunities, thanks to the 2023 Obama Leaders.

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  • MBK Alliance
  • Youth
MBK Omaha, the journey to impact

MBK Omaha has become a Model Community for showing a population-level impact on Milestone 6, all youth remain safe from violent crimes by demonstrating a 30 percent decrease in homicides from 2011 to 2022.

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A group of Black women and girls pose with a van wrapped with M.E.A.N. Girls Empowerment branding and images of adolescent Black girls. The group is holding a copy of Governor Prizker’s state proclamation recognizing Girls Health Matters Day.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Chicago
How we're making girls' health a priority in Chicago

The Girls Opportunity Alliance supports M.E.A.N. Girls Empowerment's new Resource Van and the state of Illinois declares first Girls Health Matters Day.

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A professional headshot of Ashlee Davis. She is standing in front of a glass window with a city skyline behind her. Ashlee has a medium deep complexion and shortly cropped black hair. She is wearing a blue plaid suit and a blue tie. She is smiling in the image.
  • Alumni
  • Changemakers
Ashlee Davis - Obama alum leading with PRIDE

Get to know several LGBTQIA+ Obama alumni building power in their communities

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A image of Brian Bond standing in the Oval Office with President Obama, Tina Tchen, and Valerie Jarrett. Brian has an olive complexion and closely cropped dark hair, and glasses. He is wearing a dark colored suit, while facing President Obama. In his hands is a green memo. President Obama has a medium deep complexion and black and gray hair. He is wearing a dark colored suit and facing Brian Bond with his hands in his pocket. Tina Tchen has a medium olive complexion and dark hair cut to her shoulders. She is smiling at President Obama and Brian Bond. She is wearing a black dress with a plaid overcoat. Valerie Jarrett has a light deep complexion, short brown hair, and glasses. She is smiling in the direction of President Obama and Brian Bond with her arms crossed against her chest. She is wearing a green jacket and a light color skirt.
  • Alumni
  • Changemakers
Brian Bond - Obama alum leading with PRIDE

Get to know several LGBTQIA+ Obama alumni building power in their communities

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Headshot of Dylan Orr. Dylan has an olive complexion with dark wavy hair. He is wearing a dark gray suit with a striped tie. In the image he is standing with his arms crossed on his chest. He has a wedding ring on his left finger.
  • Alumni
  • Changemakers
Dylan Orr - Obama alum leading with PRIDE

Get to know several LGBTQIA+ Obama alumni building power in their communities

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A candid shot of Pamela Karlan. Pamela is standing outside in front of a large crowd of people. Pamela has pale skin and brown hair cut to her shoulders. She is wearing round glasses, a pearl necklace, and a dark blue blazer and shirt. She is smiling into the camera.
  • Alumni
  • Changemakers
Pamela Karlan - Obama alum leading with PRIDE

Get to know several LGBTQIA+ Obama alumni building power in their communities

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Watch Meeting—Dec. 31st 1862—Waiting for the Hour by William Tolman Carlton (1863)
  • Watch
  • The Arts
Commemorating Juneteenth

Take a look at how President Obama honored this chapter of American history.

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A black-and-white headshot of a woman with long dark wavy hair, parted to the side. She wears a floral blouse and dark suit jacket. There are three graphic circles behind her: one teal, one light green and one white..
  • Defending Democracy
  • Education
Meet the Obama Leader making history for war victims in the Balkans

Hear directly from Adrijana Hanušić Bećirović as she talks about human rights and what the Obama Leadership program has meant to her.

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  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Michelle Obama
Girls Opportunity Alliance announces $500,000 commitment to empower girls in Chicago

Find out how 14 organizations will expand their programing and impact

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There are three women on the right side of the image and three women on the left side of the image. In the center of the image, Michelle Obama is hugging a woman and facing the camera. Michelle Obama has curly hair and is wearing several rings. The woman she is hugging is facing opposite the camera – we cannot see her face – she has short curly hair and is wearing a beige sweater and black pants. In the background, several women with a range of light to deep skin tones and ages speak to one another. On the wall of the room is a poster that reads, “Girls Opportunity Alliance.” The poster has a border with short perpendicular lines in pink and light blue with a dark blue background.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Global Reach
Five women we’re celebrating for International Women’s Day

Meet five women making a difference with the help of the Girls Opportunity Alliance

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Nick Kennedy, a college-age Native American young man, stands in between a Canadian and American flag on flag poles. He is wearing a brown suit and a white name tag around his neck.
  • Voyagers
  • USA
Obama-Chesky Voyager helps preserve his Indigenous culture

Nick Kennedy, an Obama-Chesky Voyager, is advocating for the preservation of Indigenous culture.

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Rebecca speaks at Harvard Kennedy School affinity celebration for disabled graduates. She is wearing silver hoop earrings, a purple dress, and a black blazer. She is sitting in front of a red background that reads, “Affinity Celebration for Graduates.”
  • Alumni
  • The Obama Administration
Meet the Obama alum championing disability rights for all

Meet the Obama alum who is championing disability rights for all.

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Tom Twongyeirwe Junior stands in front of a board room full of Black people or a range of skin tones. He is wearing a blue button up and striped pants. A sign in the background reads, The Universal Coalition of Affirming Africans Uganda.
  • Leaders
  • Africa
Obama leader fights for LGBTQ+ rights in Uganda

Progress for LGBTQ+ people in Uganda has been hindered by the current cultural and political landscape.

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Two women with light medium skin tones walk in between a Black man with a deep skin tone. He is wearing glasses and a hat. All three are wearing Obama Foundation T-shirt’s and holding Pride Month flags. In the background is more signs and people.
  • Educational Material
  • Your Voice
Take action to support LGBTQ+ youth

This Pride Month and every month, we are committed to uplifting and supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

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Michelle Obama, her eyes watering with tears and her mouth pursed, sits in a room full of people. Bright spotlights are on the back wall. Everyone looks dressed in formal suit attire.
  • Presidential History
  • Barack Obama
15 Years Later: a look back at the “More Perfect Union” speech

When then-Senator Obama delivered a speech titled “A More Perfect Union” 15 years ago today, it became known simply as the “speech on race.”

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Ireen Chikatula poses for a photo with 11 teenage students. They have a deep skin tone and some are wearing school uniforms. Ireen Chikatula holds a sign that reads, “Because girls matter!”
  • Leaders
  • Africa
Meet the Obama leader bringing opportunity to rural Zambia’s women

Learn how Ireen is improving the livelihood of women and girls in Zambia’s rural communities.

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Emma Minimbi, a woman with a medium deep skin tone, stands behind a podium at the United Nations Development Programme Stakeholders Consultation on Sorcery Accusations Related Violence at Loloata Island. She has a braided bun and is wearing a face mask under her chin. In the background is signage that reads, “Initiated by the European Union and the United Nations and United Nations Development Programme.”
  • Leaders
  • Asia-Pacific
Obama leader stands up against domestic violence in Papua New Guinea

See how Emma uses the law and the power of community to help eradicate gender-based violence.

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Devin Hampton, a Black man with a light medium skin tone, holds a closed-lip smile. He has short black hair and is wearing a gray suit jacket and white shirt. In the background is an office space with plants.
  • Sustainability
  • Alumni
Obama alum brings diversity to the clean energy space

Meet the Obama alum who is working to create new opportunities for Black and Brown professionals in the clean energy space.

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A woman with a medium-deep skin tone wearing an orange, gray, and yellow construction jacket and helmet looks up toward the sky while on a construction site. There are cranes in the background.
  • Building the Center
  • Chicago
Meet the local talent building the Obama Presidential Center

Learn how we're getting local residents involved in the building trades.

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A large visual of "2022" with blue and green ombre numbers and white background.
  • Stories
  • Programs
Inspiring hope. Taking action.

As we reflect on this year, we couldn’t be more proud of the work of our global network of leaders who are tackling some of the most vital issues of our time and working together to strengthen their communities and our institutions.

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President Obama and Stephen Curry, a man with a light-medium skin tone, light brown hair, wearing a dark blue suit jacket and jeans, speak to a panel of young men with various skin tones. The background includes white, orange, and blue ¨MBK Rising¨ and Obama Foundation graphics.
  • MBK Alliance
  • Event
MBK Rising!

MBK Rising! brought together the growing network of MBK Communities, cross-sector leaders, and young men of color and the organizations working hard to help them achieve their dreams. See the highlights

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President Obama stands behind a podium as he speaks at the Obama Foundation Democracy Forum. The president wears a black suit and white collared shirt. In the background is a blue, green, and yellow gradient graphic that reads, “Democracy Forum.”
  • Barack Obama
  • Event
Read President Obama’s remarks at the Democracy Forum
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This picture shows a man and a woman with medium skin tones crouching behind a tree outside, with a pink bicycle behind them.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Education
Hay’s story

Read Hay’s story from Vietnam.

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A woman with medium-deep skin, long hair, eye shadow, and red lipstick lightly smiles. She has a camo military shirt on, a belt and jeans on. The setting is a classroom in ok condition.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Education
Laxmi’s story

Laxmi’s story

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In this picture a lady with a deep skin tone wearing a teal shirt and a light blue dress with flower patterns is shown sitting on a tree stump.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Watch
Rebecca’s story

Rebecca’s story

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President Obama shakes hands with a seated young person with medium skin and an excited expression. A crowd of young people with various skin tones watches.
  • Chicago
  • Youth
The Obamas return home to support Chicago’s youth

This week, President and Mrs. Obama returned home for a series of events on the South and West Side of Chicago

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White text that reads "Obama Foundation Democracy Forum" on a mostly blue sunset background.
  • Defending Democracy
  • Watch
The Obama Foundation Democracy Forum

Watch highlights from the first-ever Democracy Forum held in New York City.

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President Obama gives a speech on stage at Hyde Park Academy High School. There are two stools and two Obama Foundation posters behind him.
  • Futures Series
  • Youth
Forging the future

The Obama Foundation Futures Series exposes high school students to a variety of career pathways through intimate conversations with accomplished leaders about their experiences.

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An illustration of four people with a range of light to deep skin tones lifting one another up on top of a paper plane. The background is pink.

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